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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · cap · hide · toast · staff · rock · wound · prune

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. staff — a stick
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. cap — a lid
  8. prune — to trim
  9. wound — an injury
  10. cap — a hat
  11. wound — an injury
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rock — a stone
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. staff — employees
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. staff — employees
  19. saw — the tool
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cap — of ice
  22. rock — music
  23. saw — the tool
  24. toast — bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com